Izanami's Shelter

"I did want to hear it all. The past is most important in determining who somebody is. I'm glad you told me, and I'm very glad I met you," Ceadda said. "I have to say dear, it's rare for me to trust somebody so much. Especially considering the time I've known you. So you must be something special." He straightened and turned to look towards the hatch.

"Now I have to ask you an important question. How secure is that hatch? Because there was smoke fairly nearby when we entered, and I guess my paranoia has the better of me. I doubt it'd be spotted in the dark, but I'm a cautious man when it comes to a potential threat," he said.

Izanami smiled and stood up straight. "Don't worry, Ceadda. That's a titanium hatch, complete with an air-lock and a combination lock." She flipped a small switch, and the air lock became activated. "No one could ever dream of breaking into here without my knowing. And if that ever happens, or I forget to lock it, as it has happened in the past, I have a secure alarm system. The keypad to disarm and arm it is next to the ladder." She looked to him to see if it relieved any paranoia.

"Alright. I apologize for my worries. After there's been three or four attempts on your life, you tend to be careful about understanding the area you stay in," Ceadda said, smiling at Izanami. "So is there anything you'd like to talk to me about, or anything you do for fun? I'd be open to pretty much anything, my dear," he said, placing his hands near hers and looking into her eyes.

Izanami smiled a bit nervously, her cheeks burning. "If I'm not trading nor attempting spells and potions, which takes up a majority of my time, I don't do much for fun. I sleep when I can, as I never have time to rest." She sighed softly. "I haven't had fun in my life since most of my family was wiped away from my life like a drop from a table.

She looked up to him, and at the sight of his eyes, she felt her heart jump in her chest. And again. And again. A tingling sensation swept through her body, and a chill sprinted down her spine. This man was making her feel weird things. It made her feel a bit unsettled, but she loved it at the same time.

"You sure do blush a lot, miss Izanami," Ceadda teased, "but I understand not having much to do for fun. If I didn't find entertainment in fighting, I probably would feel the same way. I rarely sleep anymore, too much haunting me, whether it be my past, my failings as a leader, or my desire for adventure."

"I think I'll have to fix that lack of fun somehow though, for you. A lady as kind as you deserves as much," he said, smiling at her."

Is this what Ceadda had been looking for? Just somebody to care about again? He'd had plenty of friends, but never somebody close since the passing of his family. He felt his cheeks flush at the thought. Odd that he felt this now, for somebody he barely knew.

Izanami laughed quietly. "I would enjoy a little fun, Sir Ceadda, I can tell you that much." She assured. She soon heard a lone wolf howl close by, and soon at least a dozen more wolves joining in on the song to the moon. A chill ran down her back, as the thought of a wolf in her mind scared her more than anything. She had always feared wolves, even if it were irrational.

The color soon drained from her face as she heard them continue to howl and growl above her head, and she unthinkingly reached for his hand, grabbing it. Izanami's knees began to waver like gelatin at the mere sound. Wolves had always haunted her nightmares, and when she had encountered some in her past life, she had been scared shitless.

"Miss Izanami, are you alright?" Ceadda asked concerned, while steadying her in his arms. He rationalized that the only thing that had happened that would scare her were the howls of wolves outside the hole."Don't worry about the wolves, I wouldn't let them touch you, my dear. I'm here to protect you," he assured. "I would never let somebody I care so much for get hurt."

He pulled her closer in his arms and smiled at her. "Trust me, I'm here for you, dear," he said gazing into her bright eyes.

Izanami's shaking ceased immediately, and the color began to return to her face as she blushed slightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck loosely, enough to keep him close her to. She sighed. "Excuse my frantic nature... I've always been afraid of wolves..." She sighed, a bit embarrassed. "When I was six, I grew angry with my parents and I had run into the forest, only to be pinned down by a white wolf twice my size, with blood in its teeth."

She shook her head softly. "I'm paranoid twenty-four seven. That's why I never have fun. I have to be ready if I am attacked suddenly. I mean, I've never had anyone to protect me since my family passed."

Ceadda smiled at her as he saw her calm down. "Well as long as I'm around, everything has to go through me to get to you. And as I'm sure you noticed, it takes a lot to get through me," he said jokingly. He held Izanami close, and pulled her closer into a warm embrace.

"You're an intriguing girl, miss Izanami. But it's late, and despite your face being very red, I can tell you're tired, dear. Go get some rest," he said softly.

Izanami smiled greatly and embraced him in return, never wanting to let go. Ceadda was so warm, and it felt so right to hold him close. She buried her face in his chest, loving the smell he gave off. It comforted her, and it could lull her to sleep if she so decided. She closed her eyes, and let her mind wander. She quickly envisioned a world before the nuclear fall out that had consumed the Earth. She enjoyed the vision, and with the scent of him, it made her more than happy at the moment.

"I'd rather not sleep." She murmured into his chest. "I'd rather stay awake with you." She felt her cheeks burn once more. She only blushed so much because she had never felt so, strange inside before.

He smiled at her, noting her obvious internal confusion at what she was feeling. It was nice to finally find somebody in these infernal wastes who he could bring himself to care about. He wasn't about to let anything happen to her. Which meant he had to let go of his desires and let her sleep, no matter what either of them wish most.

"Izanami, I appreciate that, I really do," he said, "But you need sleep." I'll be here in the morning, you have no need to worry about that. And you can rest assured I'll come back here posthaste after I've taken care of my current contract. My offer for you to accompany me there still stands, but for now, sleep, my dear."

He looked into her eyes, cheeks burning a little as he smiled at her brightly.

Izanami swayed a bit in his arms, trying to postpone her sleeping and trying to extend her moments with Ceadda. She didn't want to let him go, even if he promised to return as soon as possible. She pulled away slowly, to compose herself. "If you're busy tomorrow, you do not have to return, if you do not have the time nor the desire." She looked at the floor, then back to his eyes. "But I would greatly appreciate it if you would return, Sir Ceadda." She smiled warmly.

"You seem just as tired as I probably seem. You must rest as well, sir Ceadda, especially if you are to see your, as it would be, contract boss, tomorrow. You do not want to be tired before him." She sighed softly. The howls of the wolves continue to echo off of the moon, but the safety of his arms kept the chills at bay.

"I am tired indeed," he sighed, "I've grown used to it. Let's get you into your bed though." Ceadda lifted Izanami and carried her to the old mattress. He gently set her down on it, thinking deeply for a moment. His irrational decision to go north had led him to this. His feelings almost never led to anything but a fight. He couldn't help be worry that there was a fight yet to happen, and he mentally prepared himself to think of what he knew of the northern patrols on the path to the city.

He hoped more than anything his experience and cunning would be enough to see him there and back again, as this was one thing he didn't want to lose.

Izanami smiled and giggled out loud as he swept her off of her feet and set her in her bed, but her good mood vanished when she saw his face transform into deep thought, along with worry. At that, she pulled a necklace out of her shirt and over her head. Holding it in her hands for a moment, she looked into his eyes, then hung it around his neck. The necklace was on a long black string that she had woven herself. At the end was a glass capsule, and inside was a glob of fluorescent blue liquid, with swirls of dark blue moving all over without stopping.

"I want you to take this." Izanami told him softly. "If you become hurt or incapacitated, you can consume this. At one tug of the string, the top to the capsule will pop off and you can drink the potion inside. It will heal you and enhance your attributes: strength, speed, stamina. However, after half an hour, you will return to your injured state in the blink of an eye. But it will buy you time, even if it is very little." She looked into his eyes. "Please, take it."

Ceadda smiled broadly at the gift. "Well I won't be leaving until morning, my dear. But this means a lot to me. I should be able to handle whatever is in my way without it though, considering I've dealt with more than a few patrols in my time," he said smiling at her. "Now sleep, deary, you need it. I'll get my blanket and sleep too. I could probably use it."

Ceadda went to grab his gear, and prepare to sleep in the nice, cozy, hole in the ground that he honestly wouldn't mind calling home.

Izanami lay back in the bed with a long sigh, staring into the ceiling. She let her arms extend to both sides of her torso, and her legs extend as they pleased. She then rolled to her left, snuggling close to the wall and leaving half of the bed for Ceadda. She would drag him into the bed, even if he didn't want to. She wanted him walk, studying the way he swayed and his small mannerisms. She felt much better about his leaving now that she had given him the healing potion, which she had spent several months just to make that one small capsule.

She looked back up at the ceiling, trying to find pictures. It was her favorite thing to do in her room as a child, when sent there as punishment. Izanami made out a small girl, then a dolphin, and after a flower. She smiled softly to herself.

Ceadda grabbed the blanket he had in his back, preparing to sleep on the floor. He wanted to lie in the bed with Izanami, but he didn't want to overstep any bounds she may have. He really cared for this almost total stranger, and the thought was really stuck in his mind.

He had something he hadn't had in years. He had a reason to live. He had always been so reckless, yet he'd managed to get away with minor gunshot wounds, and only one blade wound in his life. Would this get in the way of his work? If he worried too much in battle, he could slip up... which would be bad. He had to clear his mind. He was at the top because he was skilled and experienced. He needed to focus on the fact he'd proven he can handle most jobs with ease.

But it still lingered. He placed the blanket on the floor, preparing to lie on it.

Izanami propped herself up on her side with her forearm, looking at Ceadda prep his sleeping place on the rug, which under it only lay dirt. She smiled and laughed a bit under her breath. "Are you really going to sleep on the floor, Ceadda?" She grinned, then looked to the empty side of the bed and patted it softly. "There's no way I would make my guest sleep on the floor."

She lay back on her backside and sighed heavily. This stranger had stumbled upon her home by chance, and they had struck up conversation over the cover of her home's hatch, and she had invited him in. Whether it was a stupid decision to let a somewhat shady stranger into her home, or whether it was a good thing that she had opened her heart to someone since her family's incident, she didn't care now.

Ceadda laughed to himself, and started to move his belongings towards the bed. He didn't show it, but he was still worried about him getting hurt, or even worse, his presence getting Izanami hurt. He wasn't exactly the most well liked man in the world. And if it gets around about his new friendship with the young sorceress, she could be in danger.

It was times like these, Ceadda was glad he knew how to hide his emotions.

He smiled at Izanami as he lie down on the mattress with her. "Well my dear, fine, I won't sleep on you floor. But just don't do anything too weird to me while I sleep," he said in jest to her, winking.

Izanami laughed softly, knowing that it was in good fun, but she felt her face flush a bit. "I promise I won't," she replied quietly, smiling. Sitting up, she fished a heavy comforter from the foot of the bed and pulled it up with her as she laid back down, laying it over the both of them. Laying on her back once more, she stared back up at the ceiling. "Lights out." She called, and a low buzz echoed through the shelter as the lights turned off. Izanami continued to study the ceiling, as if the answer to life lay there.

"Ceadda..." she sighed. "Do you ever think that there's something bigger than us?" She looked to him for a second, then back to the ceiling. "Not like, monsters or aliens. Like... God?" She sighed out of her nose.

"Honestly, I believe that we as human kind will never know for sure if there is a god. And my belief is that if there is a god, he abandoned humanity a long time ago. I believe it is our own duty to make what we can of the life we have. I started on the bottom, and now I'm one of the most sought after solders of fortune left alive. Which has its downsides, with the occasional attempts on my life. But I'm known at least to a lot of people, and I help where I can. I don't need the help of a god to do this. I will make my own way in this world, and protect what I care about. I believe in balance more than any god."

He remained neutral as he spoke, not wanting his emotions to show through and upset Izanami.

"But it's okay. I feel that I will find what I can do in this world eventually. No matter how long it takes me. That's why I got in this line of work really. I'm intelligent enough to have been in many less violent occupations. But this was the best way to achieve my goals, so I took it."

Izanami listened to his every word, nodding along to the sound of his voice as he spoke. The sound someone lulled her to sleep, and she closed her eyes off and on, then as he finished his small speech, she turned on her side, looking at him with her electric blue eyes that pierced through the dark. She studied him carefully.

"I agree with you. As I was growing up with my family, I believed whole heartedly in God and the savior. I believed that when I died, I was going to go to Heaven, or Hell if that were the case, and I would be with my family again. But, after the Cadets took everything I had from me..." She wiped a tear from her eye in fond memory, "...I refused to believe that a greater being would let this thing happen to my family and me. Why would God let the Cadets rape and take my family from me? I didn't do anything to him." She stopped talking before she lost it.

"It's okay, sweetheart. You don't have to be strong for me. If you're upset, cry. Or find another outlet. I have writing, but you can do what you need to. I know what it's like to lose everything you hold dear. Staying strong will only make it worse if you have no outlet. If it makes you feel better, I've killed dozens of Cadets myself," he said smiling at her.

"Just remember to keep moving forward, but don't be afraid to feel. To feel is natural. That's why I can hide my emotions most of the time, because I write about them. I don't need to suppress them forever."

Izanami shook her head and wiped her tears away, then slid her arm under the pillow and adjusted her head on it. "It's f-fine." She sniffed. "I don't want you to see me cry. I can continue on." She sighed. "When I was in the Dalets' shelter, they had a session that everyone had to attend about believing in God, telling us that it would get better soon and that He had plans for us, but if God really existed, he wouldn't have let us fall into our dark times in the first place..." She sniffed, burying her face in the pillow.

She felt completely embarrassed in front of Ceadda. Izanami never wanted him to see her like this.

"Now now dear, don't strain yourself to maintain an air of bravado in the face of your past. You're upset. Just let it out," Ceadda said, wrapping his arms around her. "I am not one you need to hide yourself from. I accept you as you are, and you need not worry about how you look in front of me," he continued and started stroking her hair.

"You can be comfortable with me, I will not judge you for your feelings or your past. I only will judge you for your actions now. And a young woman as unique and amazing as you should have no trouble maintaining what we have. I will always care, even if you cry," Ceadda said reassuringly.